Speaker 1: If you have your Bibles, please turn to Job 42. I wanna read the 8 clause of verse number 16. Job 42. I'd love to read the a clause of verse number 16. You got it?
Say I got it. Your bible should read after these things, Job lived 140 years. I wanna talk for a little while on tonight using this subject, the miracle after the mess. The miracle after the mess. Ladies and gentlemen, not long ago, all of us had the privilege, the pleasure, the honor, as well as the opportunity of watching the 2016 NBA finals when Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors faced off against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
This series was a 7 game series. Because it's a 7 game series, the only thing needed to do in order to win the series was for 1 team to win 4 games. After a golden kind of a season, Golden State led the series in the NBA finals 3 games to 1. It is quite interesting to note that the 5th game was in Golden State. But during the 5th game, something strange happened when LeBron James and his counterpart, Kyrie Irving, scored 42 points apiece for a total of 84 points, willing their team to victory, bringing the series to 3 games to 2.
Game number 6 was in Cleveland, Ohio. And in game number 6, LeBron James did it once again, scoring 42 points, willing his team to victory evening, and tying up the series at 3 games to 3. When the series was tied at 3 games to 3, LeBron James then had to make a decision. He had to decide whether or not he was going to be a kid or whether or not he was going to be a king. He had to decide whether or not he wanted to settle for getting even or whether or not he wanted to get ahead.
He made up inside of his mind that god has not called me to get even. The most I can get trying to get even is even. Why settle for getting even when God has called me to get ahead? Game number 7 was in Golden State, California. And would you not believe that LeBron James, aka King James, played his heart out in game number 7, willing his team to victory, coming back and winning the series 4 games to 3, crowning the Cleveland Cavaliers as NBA champions on foreign territory, all because LeBron James made a decision not to settle for getting even, but he made a decision to get ahead.
As this pertains to a spiritual sense, many of us in here, under the sound of my voice, are standing in the shoes of LeBron James. You look good on the outside, but in spite of us looking good on the outside, you've had some hurts inside of your life. And now you have to decide whether or not you wanna get even with the person who has hurt you or whether or not you wanna get ahead in life. When you get even with the people who have offended you, when you get even with the people who have hurt you inside of your life, you offend them just because they offended you. When you get evil with the when when you get even with the person who has hurt you, when you get even with the person who's offended you, you make up inside of your mind, you hurt them just because they hurt you.
You make up inside of your mind that because they don't like you, you don't like them. But allow me to pause to tell somebody, perhaps you are not a king, perhaps you are not a queen, but all of us in here are children of the King. I'm not talking about King James. I'm talking about our Lord and savior, Jesus the Christ, Son of the living God, who's King of all kings and who's Lord of all lords and as children of the King. God has not called us to get even with people.
The most you can get trying to get even is even. Why settle for getting even when God has called us to get ahead? If you plan to get ahead in life, you cannot spend your time holding grudges against other people. If you plan on getting ahead in life, you can not spend your time having this theology, an eye for an eye and a 2 for tooth. But if we plan on getting to hit getting ahead on tonight, you've got a makeup inside of your mind that I'm not gonna settle for getting even when God has called me to get ahead.
And the way for all of us in here under the sound of my voice to get ahead is through something called forgiveness. Let the church say forgiveness on the night. Forgiveness. I need you to shout it until the whole Avondale hears you. Let everybody say forgiveness.
Yes. Why do you think that Jesus, the Christ, son of the living God, says to all of us in his sermon on the mount in Matthew chapter number 5 verses 43 through 48 when he teaches us how to deal with our enemies, he says, bless those who curse you and pray for those who despitefully use you. Why do you think that when Jesus starts His sermon on the mount with the beatitudes, the beatitudes are certain attitudes that should be inside of the Christian. And one of the very last beatitudes that Jesus gives to all of us, he says, blessed are you when men persecute you and revile you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for the namesake of Jesus, he says, rejoice and be exceedingly glad. I really believe that Jesus is teaching all of us on tonight that I'm not called you to get even, but I've called you to get ahead.
And in order for us to get ahead, we cannot hold grudges, which requires something called forgiveness. What amazes me is not that Golden State lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but what amazes me is that they lost after leading the series 3 games to 1 and after having a golden kind of a year. The year was absolutely golden not just because they had 2 time MVP, the most valuable player whose name is Stephen Curry. The year was absolutely golden not just because they had not one, but 2 NBA 3 point champions in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The year was absolutely golden, not just because 2 time MVP, not just because of 2 m NBA 3 point champions, but it was absolutely golden because the 2015 and 2016 Golden State Warriors have the greatest record in the history of the NBA, 73 wins and nine losses.
But would you believe after a golden kind of a year, after leading the NBA finals 3 games to 1, they ended up losing the NBA finals when the only thing they needed to do is just win one more game. And the reason they lost, hear this clearly, there was a divine interruption from the king. The only thing they needed to do is win one more game and they become the NBA champions of the 2015, 2016 NBA season, but the only reason they were not able to win is because there was a divine interruption from the king. What do you do when you've been living your life as if it were golden? What do you do when every t is crossed, when every I is dotted, when your marriage is intact, when your children are doing well?
What do you do when things are going well on the job, when you find yourself living life life as if it is golden and all of a sudden, there's a divine interruption from your life and the interruption you experience is not from your haters. The interruption you experience is not from your enemies. The interruption you experience is not even from yourself, but what happens when your life gets interrupted and it's a divine interruption from King Jesus? What happens when the trouble you experience is not because of your enemies, but the trouble you experience is what God allowed to take place inside of your life? What happens when the trouble you experience is not from your haters, but what happens when the trouble you experience is because God allowed it to take place inside of your life?
Sometimes the trouble we experience is not because you have enemies, but sometimes God allows trouble inside of your life because God cares more about our character than He cares about our comfort. How do I know this to be true? The Bible declares in Romans 828 that we know that all things are working together for the good of those who love God, for those who are the called according to His purpose. So the question has to be raised with all of the bad going on inside of my life, how in the world can a good God work this for my good? He's working it for my good, not because of Romans 828, but because of Romans 8/20 9.
It says, for whom we did foreknow, he also predestined to be conformed into the image of his son, Jesus Christ, which says that God takes all of my good days, mixes them with my bad days. God takes all of my happy moments, mixes them with my sad moments. God takes all of my high times, mixes them with my low times, and he uses it in order to shape me and conform me into the image of Christ. So sometimes you've gotta thank God not just for your good times. You've gotta thank God even for the bad times inside of your life because sometimes it's your bad moments that teach you how to pray.
Sometimes it's your bad moments that teach you how to worship. Sometimes it's your bad moments that teach you how to fast. Sometimes it's your bad moments that give you a closer relationship with Jesus the Christ, son of the living God. Sometimes, you can be living life as if it were golden and all of a sudden there's a divine interruption from the king. Such is the case in Job chapter number 1.
Job is living life as if it were golden, number 1, because of his character. In Job chapter number 1 verse 1, we see the character of Job. The Bible declares that Job was a perfect man. Job was an upright man. Job was somebody who feared and respected God.
He assured. He avoided and he shunned away from evil. He's living life as if it were golden, not just because of his character, but in Job chapter number 1 verse 2, we see the children of Job. Seven sons and 3 daughters. He's living life as if it were golden, not just because of his character, not just because of his children, but in Job chapter number 1 verse 3, we see the capital of Job.
7000 sheep, 3000 camel, 500 yoke of oxen, 500 donkeys. And the Bible declares that he has so much substance that he's proven himself to be the greatest in all of the East. But in spite of all of his golden moments, in spite of his character, in spite of his children, and in spite of his capital, there's a divine interruption from the king because God allows a crisis inside of his life. The Bible declares in Job chapter number 1 verses 13 through 19 that in the span of one day, Job lose everything at the same time. In other words, the Bible declares that there comes a day and a moment, there comes a day and a time when the children of Job are eating and drinking at their eldest brother's house, and while they are having a party, there's a messenger who comes to Job and says, wait a minute.
I know you're having a golden experience inside of your life, but I want you to know that all of your donkeys are gone and I alone have escaped to tell you. The Bible says that while one messenger is speaking before he can get the bad news out of his mouth, here comes another set of bad news. He says, wait a minute, Joe. I know you're having a golden experience. I hate to tell you this.
Not only are all of your donkey gone, but all of your cattle are gone, and I alone have escaped to tell you. The Bible declares while the second messenger is yet speaking, here comes a third messenger because sometimes trouble is like the energizer bunny. It keeps going and going and going. You ever been in trouble inside of your life and you didn't just have one set of problems, but you had a whole lot of problems to deal with all at the same time. That's what Job is experiencing inside of his life.
On one one day, Job loses everything, which says to all of us, no matter how much character you have, no matter how many children you have, no matter how much capital you have, neither your character, nor your children, nor your capital can stop your crisis. Come to church all you wanna come to church. Serve in ministry all you wanna serve in ministry. Preach the gospel all you wanna preach the gospel. Lead worship all you wanna lead worship.
Have a small group. Go to Woodlawn Cycle Cafe. Do it all you wanna do it, but guess what? Neither your character, nor your capital, nor your children are able to stop your crisis. There's a misnomer in the body of Christ that the closer you get to Jesus, you no longer have to experience trouble inside of your life.
We think that just because we're saved, sanctified, and filled with the Holy Spirit, that we don't have any trials, any setbacks, any tribulations, any temptations inside of our lives, but that is not the case with Job. Sometimes you can have trouble and your trouble is not because you've done something wrong, it's because you've done something right. You're gonna have trouble inside of your life. I don't even have to be a prophet to tell you that. That is not biblical prophecy.
That's biblical probability. Alright. I know this to be true because James, the half brother of Jesus, says to all of us in James chapter number 1 starting with verse number 2. He says, count it all joy, not if, but when you fall into various kinds of trials. Knowing this, that the triangle of your faith will give patience.
Let patience have a perfect work that you may be perfect and entire wanting nothing. Then he says, if you're gonna make it through your trouble, if you're gonna make it through your crisis, not only do you need patience, wisdom. Wisdom does not just come from experience. It comes from asking God. He says, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God.
Because God gives it liberally and freely and upgrade of nigh, it says. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering, for he who wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed and should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, for a double minded man is unstable in all of his ways. The first thing that we learn from the life of Job is you could be having a golden moment and all of a sudden there could be a divine interruption not from the devil, but God can allow trouble inside of your life no matter how much character, capital, and children you have, it does not stop your crisis. But the second thing that we learn from the life of Job, hear this clearly, is that the Christian response to every crises moment should be worship. I'm a say it again.
The Christian response to every crises moment ought to be worship. Let the church say worship. Worship. You would think that Job would be throwing a pity party because he's had a golden moment, and he's lost it all in one day. You would think that Job would be cooped up in a spirit of depression.
You would think that Joe would be losing his mind. You would think that Joe would not be able to get outside of the bed and walk outside of the house. You would think that he'd be curled up in a fetal position saying, why me, Lord? Why me, Lord? But the Bible declares in Job chapter number 1 verse 20, after he loses everything, it says, then Job arose.
He might have cried for a while, but eventually, he got up. It says he rent his mantle, shaved his head, he bowed to the ground, and he worshiped. He didn't just worship God and serve God when things went well, but he had such a relationship with Jesus that he worshiped God even in a crisis. And I wanna tell somebody that the sign of our spiritual maturity is not how you worship God when things are going well, but the sign of our spiritual maturity is can you worship God in a crises moment. The sign of your spiritual maturity is not can you praise God when things are going good, but the sign of my spiritual maturity is that if I lose everything, is Jesus enough for me to still worship him?
Right. In that moment, Joseph, Job passed this test. We know this to be true because many people think he passed this test in Job 42 when God gave him double for his trouble, but that's not when he passed the test. He passed the test in Job chapter number 1 verse 20. Because before all of his crisis and all of his trouble, the Bible says that Satan was roaming the earth to and fro.
Satan starts talking to God. God says to Satan, have you considered my servant Job? Satan says back to God, the only reason he serves you is because you've put a fence, a shield, and a hedge of protection around him. Take that away. Take all of his substance away.
He'll curse you to your face. He'll never serve you again. God says, you can touch all that he has, but do not touch his soul, which means that God allows Satan to have free reign in Job's life with limitations, which says all of us, as bad as things are in your life right now, it could be worse. You think it's bad, but God has Satan on a leash. You think it's bad, but God has put limitations on Satan.
Does anybody know what it is to have a credit card? Whenever you have a credit card, most people have limits on their credit cards, which means that you can spend on the credit card, but you can only go up to a certain amount and you can only go up to a certain limit. I wanna tell somebody that when God lets Satan loose inside of your life, He has him on a leash and Satan has a limit as to what it is that he's able to do to you, which says all of us, as bad as it is, it could be worse. Thank God that he knows how much I can handle and thank God that he knows how much I can bear. It is quite interesting to note that Satan says, if you take everything, he won't worship you.
Here it is. God allows Satan to take everything except for touch his soul. And the first thing that Job does is worship, which says that the Christian response to every crisis should be worship. But number 3, since I'm gonna go through crisis inside of my life, the question has to be raised, how do I overcome my crisis? How do I overcome my trouble if if I gotta go through trouble inside of my life?
You've made that clear, preacher. Tell me how to overcome it now. What's the use in being saved if I have to face the same trouble as somebody who's not saved? Since all of us have to go through trouble, this is why I wanna be saved going through my trouble is because I'd rather go through trouble with Jesus than go through trouble without Jesus. Amen.
So how do I face it? You're gonna face your crisis and conquer your crisis. You conquer your crisis through godly counsel. What amazes me is not Job's crisis, but who's in his ear while he's going through a crisis. Job chapter 2 verse 9, his wife is inside of his ear.
She says, Job, I've never seen nothing like this inside of my life. You've been serving god. You've been faithful to god. You come to church every time the doors are open. You are not just here every time the doors are open.
You are on time. Anytime the pastor needs something, you're the first to stand and say, I'll do it. Anytime the pastor needs volunteers, you're the 1st person to volunteer your time. I could understand if God allowed this to happen to somebody who was a fickle follower, But here it is, Job. You're not a fickle follower.
You are a faithful follower. You're not a fan of Jesus. You are a follower of Jesus. You're not a Facebook Christian, you're a Twitter Christian. When you're a Facebook Christian, you like Jesus.
But Jesus didn't care anything about us liking him. He only wants us to follow him. And here it is. You don't just like Jesus, you follow Jesus. And out of all other people that God could allow this to happen to, he let it happen to you.
Why don't you curse God and die? He has ungodly advice inside of his home. What happens when the very people inside of your own home, when the very people under your own roof, when the very people who eat at the same dinner table, when the very people hear this clearly who sleep in the same bed are the very people who are the ones giving you ungodly advice. I could expect ungodly advice if it was from outside of my home, but what happens when the very people who are supposed to be encouraging you and pushing you higher and reminding you of what the scripture says and reminding you of the faithfulness of God are the very people who are pulling you back down and giving you ungodly advice. I mean, if it's somebody inside of my home, I would expect them to be reminding me of the scripture.
I know I'm in a discouraging moment, but I would expect them, expect them to be saying to me, you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. You know how to suffer. You know how to have plenty. You know how to be full. You know how to be hungry.
You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. I'd expect them to be saying, greater is he that's in you than he that's inside of the world. I'd expect them to be saying, no weapon formed against you shall be able to prosper. Every tongue that rises against you in the day of judgment, god shall condemn. I would expect them to be saying, I know you're in an anxious moment but eat but be anxious for nothing.
But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep in guard your heart and your mind mind through Christ Jesus. Finally, whatever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report. When there's virtue and praise, think on these things. I I would expect counsel like that from inside of my home. But what happens when the very person inside of your home who should be giving you godly counsel is the very person inside of your home who's giving you ungodly counsel.
I believe that miss Job gets a bad rap. The Bible don't give her a name, so we just ascribe to her the name as miss Job. She's not a bad person. She's a wounded person. She's wounded because Job helped to make the 10 children, but she's been to Brookwood Hospital 10 times.
And she's been to the Redeemer Community Church 10 times for a funeral. She's lost connection with all of the children that she's born. And in her wounded soul, she attempts to give counsel to somebody else. I wanna say this to all of us. Never receive counsel from somebody who's wounded, who's yet to heal from their wounds.
Because when you receive counsel from wounded people who have yet to heal, oftentimes, they project their wounds unto you, and it becomes not godly counsel, but ungodly counsel. Not because they're bad people, they're wounded people. His wife is inside of his ear. She gives ungodly counsel. Job chapter 4 through Job chapter number 37, his friends get inside of his ear.
Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. And they start out for the first 7 days, and they start out as a quiet presence. Sometimes when I'm in a crisis moment, I don't need you to say anything. I just need you to sit here and just be quiet. I don't I don't want you to say anything.
I just want you to be a godly presence inside of my life. Sometimes your presence ministers to other people. But after those 7 days were up, the Bible teaches us that they open their mouths and they start to make improper assumptions about the life of Job. Job, the only reason you are experiencing this crisis moment is because you've made God mad. The only reason you have a crisis inside of your life is because you've committed some kind of sin inside of your life.
They equate his crisis to sin. Like so many people inside of the church, when in actuality, sometimes I'm in trouble not because I've done wrong, but because I have decided to follow Jesus. The Bible declares that those who live godly shall suffer persecution. I got scripture to prove it. Psalms 23 verse 3.
It was King David, the 2nd king of Israel, who says to all of us that he leads me in the path of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalms 23 verse 4, he says, yay, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. The question that I wanna ask David, why do you talk about a dark valley after you talk about a righteous path? David couldn't be here tonight, but he told me to tell somebody the reason. I talk about a dark valley after I talk about a righteous path is because sometimes a righteous path can lead you through a dark valley.
Sometimes the trouble you experience is not because you've done wrong, it's because you've done something right. But I'm grateful to god. Not only does Job have his wife in his ear and his friends in his ear, but in Job chapter 38 through Job chapter number 42, god gets inside of his ear. Somebody shout godly counsel. Hallelujah.
He gets inside of his ear. Job has questions. Lord, I've been serving you. And after I've served you all of my life, you allow this to take place inside of my life. God, I need some answers.
And God answers this question with another question. Where were you when I laid the foundations of the world? Where were you when I hung the moon in the sky at nighttime? Where were you when I parted the waters from the land? Where were you when I hung the sun in the sky during the daytime?
He says, Job, where were you? Can you imagine? This is not what Job wants to hear. Which says to all of us, sometimes godly counsel is not what I wanna hear, but it's what I need to hear. If everybody inside of your circle is telling you what you wanna hear, you need to find you a new circle of friends.
You need some people inside of your circle who are not gonna water down the truth. Some people inside of your circle who are not gonna sugarcoat the truth. You don't need a whole lot of friends, but if you can just find one real friend who's not ashamed to tell you the truth, even at the expense, at the expense of risking the real friendship, that's when you have a friend. It might not be what you wanna hear, but it's what you need to hear. Such is the case in Psalms 1.
It says, blessed is the man, blessed is the woman who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly. The ungodly is ungodly counsel nor nor stands in the way of sinners. That's the ungodly company. Nor sits in the seat of the scornful. That's ungodly company.
And the only reason you hang around these people, even though somebody in your circle tells you if I were you, I wouldn't be hanging around these people, you think you can handle it. And sin is so progressive and so gradual, they say, if I were you, I go in a different direction. You say, we ain't doing nothing but just walking together. And before you know it, the walk turns into a standstill. The standstill turns into a sit down.
So He says, blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord. His delight is in the word of God. Do not get your counsel from the world. Get it from the word. And it says, when you get your counsel from the word, you will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water.
Your leaf shall not wither. He says, whatsoever you do shall prosper. All of that is because of godly counsel, which says, number 1, godly counsel plants me. You'll be like a tree planted by the rivers of water. Number 2, godly counsel makes me productive.
You will bring forth your fruit in a season. Number 3, godly counsel causes me to persevere. Your leaves shall not wither. One thing that I know about leaves on trees is that they blossom and wither away at the changing of the seasons. So when it's springtime and summertime, they blossom, but when it's wintertime and fall time, they wither away.
And what the psalmist is saying to all of us is that when you adhere to godly counsel, it does not matter what season of life you find yourself in, you'll be able to out outlast the season. Godly counsel causes you to persevere. Last but not least, godly counsel causes you to prosper. He says whatever you do shall prosper. We have a backwards view of prosperity inside of the church.
Prosperity does not mean that you don't have any problems, but the literal meaning of the word prosperity means to go through or to go over. Which means that it does not mean that I don't have problems, but it means that when I have crises moments inside of my life that God gives me the power of His Holy Spirit to go through my problem or to go over my problem, but the only way for me to get there is through godly counsel. Somebody shout godly counsel. When you have godly counsel inside of your life and you adhere to godly counsel inside of your life, it does a few things. Number 1, godly counsel causes me to pray for the people who mistreat me.
Job chapter number 1, we see the crises of Job, but in Job chapter 42, we see the turning of that crisis. Job 42 and 10, the Bible declares that the Lord turned the captivity of Job when he prayed for his friends. The very people who kicked him when he was down. The very people who made improper assumptions about his life. The very people who thought that he'd never get out of his crisis, the very people who mocked him and scorned him are the very people that he prays for.
And the moment he prays for his friends, God starts to turn his situation around. You don't look like it, but I just sense there's somebody in here. You've been praying for a situation in your life to turn around. It could be a situation in your marriage. It could be a situation on the job.
It could be a prodigal son, a prodigal daughter. You didn't raise them to act the way that they act. They've strayed away from God. It could be a situation inside of your body. Perhaps your body is reckoned with pain and a health condition that the doctors have diagnosed, but they do not have a cure for it.
And you're praying for God to turn around and you're asking God, why have you not done it yet? And he could be saying back to us, I'm not the hold up. You are. If you could ever get outside of yourself, focus on somebody else and pray for them, I don't mind turning your situation around. If you could stop being so selfish, Thomas Beavers, and and begin to focus on the needs of somebody else, the moment I determine that you have not become selfish inside of your own heart and your own mind is the moment you give me space to be able to move inside of your life.
He prays for his friends. Only godly counsel can make you pray for the people who mistreat you. Only godly counsel can cause you to pray for the people who kick you when you were down. But but the second thing that we learn about godly counsel when we adhere to it, not only do we pray for the people who mistreat us, but number 2, whenever we adhere to godly counsel, it leads to some shape, some form of restoration inside of our lives. Job 42 and 10, not only does God turn the captivity of Job when he prays for his friends, but the Bible says that God gave him double.
Everything that he had that was stolen by Satan, God did not just get him back to the place that he was. He exceeded the place that he was. And I'm convinced we've been praying the wrong prayer because you've been praying, Lord, the enemy has stole so much from me. God, if you can just get me back to the place where I was. And God is saying, I don't wanna get you back there.
I want you to exceed where you were. I don't just want you to have the joy you used to have. I wanna give you double joy. I don't just want you to have the peace you used to have. I wanna give you double peace.
I don't just want you to have the love you used to have. I wanna give you double love. I don't just want you to be at the place that you used to be, but I wanna do exceeding, abundantly above all you ask and all that you think to the power that works inside of you. God does not want you back at that place, but He wants you to exceed that place. For Job, it was a material place.
Maybe it will be, maybe it won't be for us, but I guarantee that when we adhere to godly counsel, it leads to restoration in some shape, form, or fashion. Job lost all of his wealth, Got it all back double. This is why he's proven to be one of my favorites. He's one of my favorites not just because of his capital in Job chapter 1 verse 3, but he's one of my favorites because of his character in Job chapter 1 verse 1. He proves to all of us how to have capital and have character at the same time.
So many times we think that when God blesses us or if God blesses us materially, that it gives us some kind of license to treat people any kind of way. We think that if God blesses us materially, that it gives us some kind of license to say anything to anybody because many of us have never read the scripture in 1st Timothy chapter number 6 starting with verse number 18 when Paul the Apostle speaks to his protege in the faith of the name of Timothy and he says, I charge those who are rich in your congregation not to be high minded, nor to trust in uncertain riches, but I charge them to be rich under good works, which said that when God blesses us, it is not just for us. But when he blesses us, he blesses us in order to be a blessing to somebody else. Whatever you've lost inside of your life, God is able to restore it. But he cannot move inside of our lives if we do not adhere to godly counsel.
The miracle in the text is not just that God gave Job restoration, but the miracle is in Job 42 verse number 16. You read it and skipped right over it. After God restored double, it says after this, Job lived 140 years. That's the miracle. After God restored double, he lived 100 and 40 years.
My prayer for the body of Christ is not just for restoration, but that God would grace us with the time to enjoy what he's restored inside of our lives. If you're praying for a child to come back home, I'm praying not just for the prodigal son and daughter to come back home, but I'm asking God if He would grace us because it's only by His grace if He would grace us with the time to enjoy it. If you're praying for God to turn around and condition inside of your body, I'm praying not only that God would do that but I'm praying that He would grace you with time to enjoy it. If you're praying for God to do something and even if god says the answer is no, I'm praying that god will grace you with joy in the middle of enduring what you endure. The miracle in the text is not just restoration, but the miracle in the text is that after god restores everything double, that he gives him time to enjoy it.
None of this takes place without godly counsel. Last question I wanna raise is, where do we find godly counsel? I'm glad you asked. If you wanna find godly counsel, your counsel is in Jesus. It was Isaiah, the eagle eyed prophet, who prophesied when he was talking about the coming of Jesus Christ.
In Isaiah 9 verse number 6, he says, for unto us, a child is born. For unto us, a sign is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulders, and his name shall be called wonderful, counselor, mighty god, the everlasting father, the prince of peace. His name shall be called wonderful, counselor, mighty god, the everlasting father, the prince of peace. I I got a slow class. I need a AP class.
His name shall be called wonderful, counselor, mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace. Amen. Whatever you do, let's not take our counsel from the world. Let's take it from the word. Yes, lord.
When we do it, god's able to bring restoration to your life. Let's pray. Father, in the name of Jesus, so many times we're guilty of asking you to do things in our lives without adhering to your word. I ask you right now that you would increase our obedience. And I pray that you would help us to obey you not just because we want something from you, but you told us that if we love you, we obey your commandments.
Fill our hearts with more love for you. Let us love you with all of our heart, with all of our soul, with all of our mind, with all of our strength, with all of our passion, with all of our will, with all of our thoughts, with all of our actions. I ask you right now that if there's anybody who does not know you and the free partnering of their sins, They can't listen to godly counsel because they don't have you inside of their hearts that you may be able to speak inside of their ears. I pray right now that we would all come to the realization that all have sinned and fallen short of your glory. That the wages of sin is death, but the gift of god is eternal life, that you extended your love toward us, and that while we were yet sinners, you died for us.
You did not wait until we became saints to love us and to die for us, but you died for us while we were sinners that we might become saints. You did all of that, and I pray that today we will make the decision to confess with our mouth that you, Jesus, our lord, to believe in our hearts that god raised you, Jesus, from the dead. Save us. And once we are saved, give us the power of your holy spirit to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. Holy and acceptable unto you which is our reasonable service to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
We ask these and many of the blessings. The mighty and matchless name of your darling son, Jesus the Christ, who's able to do absolutely anything but fail. Hallelujah. Thank you Jesus, and amen.